Mount Tangkuban Parahu: Between Sweat, Mist, and Proudness

It started from a dream on Friday morning.
After have had several journey with my bicycle Pipi, through my city Bandung and Lembang highland, I wonder where should I go next?
And in that morning, I was imagine to step on one famous mountain in West Java.

It is Mount Tangkuban Parahu.

That mountain had its own legend. It is about forbidden love between mother and her children, Dayang Sumbi and Sangkuriang. Legend told that Sangkuriang, whose love was being rejected by Dayang Sumbi, felt dissapointed and kicked his boat. Later, that boat was transformed into Mt. Tangkuban Parahu.

Now, the journey story itself…
We planned to “take off” from Kartika Sari-Dago at 6.00 a.m. Unfortunately none of us were there in time. So our departure was delayed. Until 8.30 a.m. we still waiting for Upi (M.Luthfi Darajat), he said that he helped her mother first in the morning. But it is okay, because while waiting for Upi, me and Nuri (Radityo Nur Hardono) helped a man whose folding bike was broken down.

We started cycling on 8.30 a.m. and directly heading to North of Bandung. From there we will go to Mt. Tangkuban Parahu through Lembang highland. We often go to Lembang through Dago-Gunung Batu like we did that Saturday morning, so we just have had slight problem in that track. We just took 1 hour journey to Lembang.

Then the harder part of our journey…
A night before, I was browsing and looking for the shortest way to Tangkuban Parahu with help from Google Earth. I wrote it in my notebook, and it was very useful. We can cut the distance between and also save more time. We use alternative route from Kayu Ambon to Ciburial.
Using this route also gave us some vision about condition it that area. We saw that the infrastructure in there is poor. And the sanitation also. It has broken road and stinky smell in entire environment.

Broken Road, bad stability

“Mountain of Trash” under Penggergajian Bridge

Out of that route, I have no idea again in choosing alternative route. It’s because Google Earth imaging in that area is bad due to cloud covering. But our sense of adventurer didn’t stop there. We believed that there is another route that can be used to Mt. Tangkuban Parahu. Finally we ask some folk there and found the shorter way!
It’s very beautiful route. It’s like some ideal cross country road I’ve ever seen in many movie or posters. Wow. Now I believe Indonesia is the World’s Heaven, the more I explore it, the more I love it !!! Yippieee…
(Unfortunately, we have no visual documentation in that area)

After passing through “beautiful cross country” route, we enter main road to Mt. Tangkuban Parahu. We were enjoyed the softness of the road after felt the toughness of cross country road. Suddenly, I remembered why civil engineers is needed. To make a better road to make a better life. Hehehe.

Finally… the HARDEST part of our journey!
At 11.15 a.m. we reached the base of Mt. Tangkuban Parahu. Marked by “Welcome” word and gate entrance.

Road to base of Mt. Tangkuban Parahu

Before entrance gate of Mt. Tangkuban Parahu Nature Park

After passed the entrance gate, we were thought that it would take a few minutes to reach the crater on the top. But we wrong! Definitely wrong !!!
We got very difficult way to reach the top.

Imagine…in the midday, the sun was above our head, we were in the mountain (which means it’s closer to the sun), cycling on the extreme grade of road (when you meet the upward slope, it will be easier to walk rather than cycling), and we haven’t had lunch yet !

But we believe: since our bicycles haven’t met any trouble, so did we. Because God creation will be better than manmade goods. That’s why we still hold on in this journey.

Say “cheese” before gasping: “pleeease”

Even there was fatamorgana in our way

Long way to go through…

“Exhausted”

From Lembang, we could see Bandung. From “cross country road” (as I told before), we just could see Lembang. But from this place, we could see both !

A Mist…

After had long hard journey, finally we saw a strange place but also our hope !
WARUNG !!! (Indonesian word for food-stall)
What!? In the middle of nowhere there was such booth! Alhamdulillah…
We could have our lunch!

I still wondering, why the vendor had such bravery to selling food in such place. In the scary place! Moreover, if the mist appear…like we saw in there…

Our hunger unleashed

Food stall in the middle of nowhere

The mist

Hmmm…finally I know the reason why she open her food stall here. This area is the starting point of “downhill track” through Jayagiri Forest.

Downhiller…one of them is ITB lecturer (Mr. Ricky)…cool isn’t it?

Finally…but…
Yeah…yeah…yeah…we got it, we’ve made it!
At 1.30 p.m. we reached the upper gate of Mt. Tangkuban Parahu.

WUOOOOOOOOOOWW!In front of the upper gate of Mt. Tangkuban Parahu

But…unfortunately, we couldn’t continue our journey to the crater. Our friend, Nuri, has to be in Bandung at 3 p.m.
So, we decided to return immediately.

But afterall, we can proved our strength and endurance by cycling to this “Sangkuriang Boat”. We are strong boy!

Hehehe.

Guys, what’s next???

Mt. Fuji??

Here we come!!!